There will not be an LOI next week, instead we will be partaking of refreshments with our ladies at the LOI Dinner next week.
RELIEF CHEST OPENED FOR TYPHOON HAIYAN, PHILIPPINES
In response to members of the Craft and the extent of the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the Council of The Freemasons’ Grand Charity has opened a dedicated Relief Chest. This centrally administered service is for those who would like their donation for victims of the typhoon, to be part of a co-ordinated Masonic response for longer term redevelopment efforts.
This announcement follows an earlier decision by the President of the Grand Charity to approve the payment of a grant of £50,000 to the British Red Cross in support of immediate emergency aid efforts in the Philippines.
Any individual Freemason or Lodge wishing to make a donation via the Council’s Relief Chest and in support of the longer-term recovery efforts can do so by sending a cheque payable to ‘The Freemasons’ Grand Charity’ to: Relief Chest Scheme, 60 Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AZ and noting that is to be paid into the Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Relief Chest No. E0129C. Tax payers wishing The Freemasons’ Grand Charity to claim tax relief on their donations, must complete a Gift Aid Donation Form which is available from the website: http://www.grandcharity.org/data/files/Single_Donation_Form_18_Sep_12.PDF
or you can contact the Relief Chest department on 020 7395 9246.
Mark Smith, Provincial Grand Almoner for Gloucestershire interviewed on BBC Radio
On Friday morning Mark Smith, Provincial Grand Almoner for Gloucestershire, was interviewed live on BBC Radio. Mark spoke about being a Freemason, as well as his work as an Almoner and the charitable support of The Freemasons’ Grand Charity.
This is an excellent interview, please do listen: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0176vny
Mark’s interview begins at 1 hour 10 mins and lasts for about 20 minutes – this will be live on the BBC’s website until this Thursday.
We are always looking for new ways to encourage media interest and increase publicity coverage about all areas of the Grand Charity’s grant making, and we are extremely grateful to Mark for assisting us with this interview.
Forester Lodge 52nd Installation Meeting
Forester Lodge Master and Wardens 2012
Tuesday May 1st W.Bro Rob was regularly installed in the chair of King Solomon in Forester Lodge 7760 by W.Bro Mick at our 52nd installation meeting.
Pictured to the left W.Bro Rob is flanked by Junior Warden W.Bro Patrick and Senior Warden W.Bro Norman.
W. Bro Rob was originally installed as Master of Forester Lodge in 1997, making this his second time through the chair in this lodge. It will be a busy year for the officers as we have a number of EA and FC Masons who will be progressing.
The installation was well attended with 41 members and visitors in the temple. The working tools were presented by Bro Mike, Bro Ben, and Bro Ian.
The image gallery follows: Continue reading
Ritual work with the Emulation Lodge of Improvement
Freemasons Hall London
Every Friday the Emulation Lodge of Improvement meets in Temple 9 at Great Queen Street with a break during the summer and the Easter and Christmas weeks. Each meeting is dedicated to the demonstration of the Masonic Emulation Ritual by the people who ‘wrote the book’ (Blue Ritual Book).
The Emulation Lodge of Improvement is described as a ‘Lodge of Demonstration not Perfection’. This is open to all Master Masons who are welcome to attend and observe or take part, if they are willing and able to do so. Fees are 50p for visitors and 10p for members. A three year membership of the Lodge of Emulation costs £10.00. The Emulation Lodge of Improvement was formed on 2nd October 1823 and has met regularly since then. Since 1830 it has operated under the sanction of the Lodge of Unions #256.
Visiting the Emulation Lodge of Improvement is instructional for new brothers as it both gives the opportunity to see Emulation Ritual being performed to the highest standards and enables him to see workings in a temple at Freemason’s Hall in London. At each meeting a ceremony is performed, along with one of the Masonic Lectures (from the Green Book).
Friday the 13th saw Bro Dady Karanjia demonstrating the 2nd Degree and Tracing Board in a virtually faultless manner. After the degree ritual the third section of the Third Degree Lectures was presented by the Senior Warden. In the coming weeks the lodge will be working the Third Degree followed by the Installation and the First Degree and Charge. Each week will be accompanied by a section of one of the lectures of the three degrees.
Ladies Night 2012 held at Halsey Masonic Centre Herts
This year was our 50th Ladies Festival for Forester Lodge, and as we have often done in the past we sneaked over the border into Hertfordshire. The evening was held in honour of our President, WBro Mick, and his lady Babs.
With 65 guests in attendance we raised £680 for the nominated charity: Cancer UK. Thanks to all who attended and gave generously.
As usual with our Ladies Festivals we had some traditional dancing and singing at the end of the evening, wearing patriotic hats and waving flags.
Continue reading for the picture gallery: Continue reading
TLC Appeal passes the landmark 1,000,000 teddy donation
Essex Provincial Grand Master with TLC Teddies (Credit Essex PGL)
The Essex based Masonic Charity TLC Appeal passed a huge landmark recently when it donated the 1,000,000th teddy to a child in a hospital A&E ward.
The Teddies for Loving Care was conceived some 11 years ago when the wife of an Essex Mason was saved from death by A&E staff. The couple were obviously very distressed by their experiences, but perceived that a child suffering circumstances would be terrified. With this in mind they set up the TLC charity with the help of the local lodge and other local masons.
The concept is quite simple: to donate a teddy bear to distressed children in hospital. For more information visit the Teddies for Loving Care website.
Over the years this scheme has expanded to be almost country wide, and has also been adopted in other countries such as Gibraltar and Cyprus, and also in the Grand Lodge of New York in the USA.
Provincial Grand Lodge appointments and promotions
Essex Provincial Grand Lodge
Each year the Masons of the province of Essex have an Annual Meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to disseminate information relevant to the members of the Province and also to invest the officers for the ensuing year.
The investiture of the officers includes not only the acting members of the Provincial Lodge, but also the honoury officers.
Amongst the acting officers was the appointment of WBro Nigel Catchpole as Assistant Provincial Grand Master taking over from WBro Ken Birnie who retired as APGM at the meeting.
Of particular interest to Forester Lodge was the first appointment of WBro Dominic as Past Grand Standard Bearer, and the promotion of WBro Dave to Past Junior Grand Warden.
Welcome to Forester Masonic Lodge
Welcome to Forester Masonic Lodge number 7760 registered in the United Grand Lodge of England.